Rafa

How does our Adoption and Rescue Programme work?

**Steps for our Program 1 - 4 **

Basenji owners contact us from anywhere in Australia and generally the situation is they are wanting to surrender their Basenji(s). Sometimes we also get a rescue situation where a Basenji is lost/abandon, or it has ended up in a pound or with a welfare group. Annually Basenjis that are surrender by their owners to BBNA make up approximately 90% of our cases and around 10% of cases are rescues.

The FIRST step that we do is to assess the safety and welfare of the Basenji. If it is determined that a Basenji needs to be removed from its current environment because the owner won’t keep the dog anymore, or that its safety is at risk, then we will make arrangements to remove the Basenji to a safer environment. In such a case we will transport the Basenji to a Foster Carer who is available and/or to a carer who is the most suitable to take on the Basenji. In some circumstances the owner will continue to look after the dog until a home is found.

Basenjis that come into our care may have varying settling in, health and/or retraining requirements so the SECOND step is to conduct an assessment of the Basenji. A good understanding of the Basenjis in our care helps us to accurately match a Basenji with its future home/family and, it also helps us to understand what we need to do to specifically address the welfare of each Basenji.

The THIRD step is to ascertain what veterinary treatment the Basenji needs. In many cases Basenjis that come into our care will need their vaccinations brought up to date and desexing. Sometimes we will need to do testing and/or provide medical treatment to a Basenji.

The FOURTH step is to develop a profile of each Basenji and advertise the dog. We publish all our Basenji profiles with photos on Social Media, the BBNA website, Pet Rescue and Dogzonline. Our Basenji profile contains information for example on: temperament, behaviour, medical issues, vaccinations, and the location of the Basenji.

**Steps for Potential Adopters 5 - 6**

Contact the BBNA Rescue and Adoption Co-ordinator via email or mobile number and we will discuss your specific requirements. We will email you a detailed profile of the Basenji that is available for adoption.

Once we get suitable candidates that would like to adopt, our FIFTH step is to do further shortlisting and then we will arrange for an environment check with potential adopters. It is important that we carefully match the right adopter with the Basenji available for adoption. BBNA has a number of volunteers who are situated in every state of Australia who help us to do things like: transporting Basenjis, conducting environment checks, liaising with current and future owners, Foster Caring, and being available to advise/help the new owners. Without the involvement of these volunteers BBNA could NOT run its adoption and rescue programme so successfully.

Once we reach an agreement to proceed with a new owner then the SIXTH step is to organise our documentation and transportation to take the Basenji(s) to the new home. Prior to the Basenji being released for adoption, new owners are required to jointly sign an Adoption Agreement with BBNA and to transfer all adoption fees and any associated transport costs to BBNA's welfare account. Adopters are also automatically given 1 year free Associate membership with BBNA, which they can choose to renew if they would like to remain a member.